Anniversary Gifts
by stillskies
Summary: [Complete] It's Shuichi and Eiri's two year anniversary, and they both have come up with the perfect presents... ShxY, SuxMa, HxA
1. Tuesday

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of _Gravitation_ (if I did, Yuki would be way meaner.). The characters belong to Maki Murakami, and yes, I'm jealous.

Author's Notes: This is my first "Gravitation" fic, so please be nice…. Review please! All types of reviews accepted, even flames, as long as they address an actual problem!

Anniversary Gifts

Eiri Yuki looked at the calendar. In two days, he and Bad Luck's lead vocalist, Shuichi Shindou, will have been together for two years. Two years of dealing with the hyperactive, mood-swinging pink haired man.

Eiri smiled. It was a small smile, one that was rarely seen outside of the apartment he and Shuichi shared.

Their relationship had been full of obstacles, among them being Eiri's inability to get over Yuki Kitazawa, developing ulcers and multiple personalities, and the public "coming out" fiasco a year ago. Despite it all, they'd stayed together.

By nature, Eiri wasn't a romantic person. He was cold, distant, icy even. He had more walls around his heart than that Pope had guards, but, slowly, Shuichi had begun to break them down. Eiri smiled more, although it was never the small smile Shuichi only saw, nor was it the fake smile he had worn when necessary. He was more affectionate to Shuichi, and Kitazawa was finally in the past, where he belonged.

It had come as a surprise to the blonde writer to wake up one morning and have only the pink haired singer on his mind, when usually Kitazawa was lurking around his thoughts. It was nice to have a Kitazawa free morning.

When it happened morning after morning until Kitazawa was gone from his mind unless Eiri wanted him there, he understood.

He was no longer in love with Yuki Kitazawa.

Accepting the truth of it was easier than Eiri like to admit. He was now free to fall in love again, and he had.

Shuichi was everything Eiri hated: bubbly, loud, obnoxious, but he'd grown on the blonde. 'More like attached himself to me,' Eiri thought with a smile. Without realizing it, he was in love again.

He hadn't told his singer, though. He wasn't sure why, he'd had plenty of opportunities, but none of them had felt right. He knew he wanted Shuichi to know, but, as much as Eiri had changed, he still could only express himself fully through words.

A sudden thought flitted through the writer's mind. 'What if I wrote him something?' he mused. He already knew it would have to be short. He had just finished his latest novel, and he wanted a break from writing. His editor would be coming to collect the finished manuscript in a week.

Running some random ideas through his mind, he began automatically scratching the ideas off of his mental list.

'Short story? No, it would probably turn into a novel. Poem? Too sappy. Haiku? Too short.'

After exhausting all types of creative writing possible, Eiri sat back down at his desk. Putting his elbows on the paper-strewn surface, the blonde placed his chin in his hands.

A piece of paper fluttered to the floor. Picking it up, Eiri glanced at it. A small smile appeared on his face.

'A song. I could write him a song.'

Shuichi Shindou smiled a bright smile. His violet eyes were sparkling, and his hands were clasped behind his back. Hiroshi Nakano, Shuichi's best friend, stood beside him with an identical expression on his face.

Suguru Fujisaki stood beside his band mates, a look of defeat on his face. He'd been voted spokesperson of the three.

"K-san, Reiji-sama," Suguru began. "Shindou-san and Nakano-san," Hiro elbowed Suguru in the ribs, and the smaller boy let out a loud 'eep!' Suguru glared at Hiro, but continued. "And I would like to ask to have Friday off." A slight look at the other two boys showed Suguru that his speech was now acceptable.

K and Reiji looked at each other, both silent.

Shuichi, Hiro, and Suguru looked at each other. K and Reiji weren't pulling guns, so that was a good sign, right?

"We've decided," K began, "that you can have your day off."

Shuichi and Hiro began cheering loudly, but Suguru still looked skeptical. "What's the catch?" Bad Luck's synth player asked.

Reiji grinned. "No catch." The pink haired vocalist and dark haired guitar player began to cheer louder. Reiji continued. "Except…" At this, Shuichi and Hiro froze. "K and I want to finish the last four tracks on the new album. If you can get that done in two days, then you can have Friday off."

The pink haired singer looked thoughtful for a moment. "Four songs in two days? If we work overtime, then it's possible…' Grabbing Hiro and Suguru, he voiced his thoughts.

"Ayaka is coming to town Friday night. I want to plan something nice for her, so having all day Friday off would really help me out."

"I have a date Friday." Suguru blushed when his band mates stared at him. "We're going to Kyoto, and I want to spend as much time with her as possible."

Hiro stared hard at Suguru. "You have a date! And you didn't tell us sooner!" Suguru blushed harder. "With who?"

"Maiko Shindou."

Shuichi's ears perked up. "You're the guy taking my sister out on Friday!" His sister had called him a few days ago and gushed on and on about the guy she had met after his last concert.

The lead singer's eyes got squinty as he regarded Suguru. "You hurt her, Suguru, and I'll hurt you." Shuichi's voice was pleasant as he said this. Suguru's face began to pale. "Her heart's already been broken once, and I told him the same thing I just told you." Shuichi smiled, and Suguru flinched. "He didn't believe me… Ask Maiko how he's doing for me, will you?"

Suguru swallowed hard while Shuichi returned to normal happy mode. "Me and Yuki's two year anniversary is on Friday. I want to finish his present before we go to dinner."

As the three men discussed whether or not they could do four songs in two days, K and Reiji smirked at each other. They both knew the three of them would do it if their plans were important enough. They also knew, when on a crunch deadline, the band did their best work.

"We'll do it!" Bad Luck screamed together. The two managers smiled.

"Alright then!" K yelled. "Let's get started!"

All three members of Bad Luck started towards the booth to begin recording the first song.

"Hey, Shuichi?"

Shuichi looked back at his best friend. "Yeah, Hiro?"

"What are you getting Yuki-san? I'm trying to think of something to get Ayaka."

Shuichi smiled. "I'm writing him a novella." At Hiro's surprised look, he quickly added, "It's only going to have seven chapters. I've already finished the first five."  
Hiro smiled and shook his head. "You have to let me read it when you're done."

Shuichi shook his head. "Sorry, Hiro. It's for Yuki's eyes only."

AN: Alright! Part one is done…. Part two will be up tomorrow! Read and review please!


	2. Wednesday

AN: Part two! Woohoo! I'm on a roll… Anyway, it's Wednesday and Yuki is working on his present to Shu, while Shuichi is busy at work… Read and enjoy!

Shuichi woke up the next morning exhausted. K had kept them at the studio until 11 pm trying to get the second song right. They had gotten through the first song without a hitch, but the second song, for some reason, they just couldn't get right.

Reiji finally couldn't handle it anymore and had sent the band home, telling them they needed to be there at 7 am. Shuichi threw his right arm over his face and sighed. His alarm was set to go off at 6 am, so he'd be awake before K could come and shoot him. Turning on his side, he snuggled into Yuki and promptly fell back to sleep.

Shuichi awoke an hour later to cold steel pressing into his side. Not comprehending the situation, he sleepily murmured, "Yuki… It's too early in the morning for that…"

The cold was removed from his side, and was immediately followed by the sound of a shot firing. Shuichi bolted straight out of bed, dodging the falling plaster instinctively.

"K! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, HUH?"

K just smiled. "Rise and shine, Shuichi! We have three songs to record in two days if you want Friday off!"

Shuichi glared at his manager before realizing that all of the noise could have disturbed Yuki. Quickly, he turned around.

Yuki was still asleep. Shuichi let out a sigh of relief.

The rest of the day went downhill for Shuichi. Besides being shot at every twenty minutes, they didn't finish the second song until 2 pm. To say Reiji was not thrilled was an understatement.

"Let me get this straight. We've been here since 7 AM and you've now just finished the second song." The three men nodded their heads meekly. "YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH THAT HOURS AGO!" Suddenly, Reiji had her bazooka pointed at Shuichi, and the pink haired singer lost it.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE POINTING THAT THING YOU EVIL BITCH!"

BANG!

Shuichi fell to the floor.

"Reiji-sama," Suguru started quietly, "Shooting Shindou-san isn't going to get the songs recorded faster. If anything, it will put us behind schedule."

At 11 pm, they had finished the third song, and the band went home.  
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Eiri woke up feeling refreshed. Getting out of bed, the blonde suddenly noticed the plaster that covered Shuichi's side of the bed. Looking up at the roof, and then back at his lover's side of the bed, the writer decided he didn't want to know.

Eiri took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of charcoal slacks and a black sweater. Satisfied with his appearance, even though he had no intention of leaving the house, he made his way to the spare bedroom that was his office. Sitting in the chair in front of his laptop, he began to set up his workspace.

Shuichi kept his keyboard close to Eiri's desk, so all the writer needed to do was turn the keyboard so that it was perpendicular to the desk. That way, he just needed to turn his chair and he could play the keyboard. Turning on his computer, he opened a fresh Word document and began brainstorming.

**Anniversary song.  
****Shuichi.  
****Love.**

Eiri stared at what he'd written so far. He stared for a long time, before realizing that he didn't know what to write about. He knew that he wanted to tell Shuichi he loved him, and that it was for their anniversary, but that was it.

'How does the brat do it?' he thought.

Unconsciously, Eiri pulled out a cigarette and lit it. It was on his way to his mouth before he realized what he was doing. Quickly, he put out the cigarette and threw away the still smoldering stick.

Tilting back in the chair, the writer began thinking. 'I have to think of something. How am I supposed to do this?'

A piece of paper caught Eiri's eye. It was peeking out of the corner of a notebook that he vaguely recognized as being his lover's songwriting book. "Hmm.." Eiri said out loud. "I wonder if the brat's brainstorms are in here…"

Taking the notebook and flipping through it, he stopped. He was halfway through the book, but it didn't look like there were any brainstorms in it. Sighing, he put the notebook back where he found it.

An idea hit him suddenly. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

On the second ring, Tohma Seguchi picked up. "Ah, Eiri-san! To what do I owe this honor?"  
Eiri sighed. 'This was a bad idea,' he thought. 'I'm already getting a headache.'

"Cut the crap, Tohma. I have a question."

Eiri could hear Tohma smile over the phone. The writer was seriously beginning to regret calling his brother-in-law. "I may have an answer. What seems to be the problem, Eiri-san?"

"How do you write a song?"

There was a pause. Eiri counted to ten. Tohma was still quiet. Eiri counted to twenty. When Tohma still didn't speak, Eiri growled.

There was a "tsk" on the other end, signaling Tohma was still thinking. The writer rolled his eyes. Tohma was a musician and a producer. Surely, this was a simple question?

"Well," Tohma began. "First, you need to decide what the song is about."

The writer shook his head. Realizing his brother-in-law couldn't see him, he said "uh-huh."

Taking that as 'Eiri-knows-what-he's-writing-about' instead of just 'okay,' Tohma continued. "Then, you begin to write about your feelings on the subject. Take, for instance, a love song. You would isolate the reason for the song, then the song would be your feelings towards the reason."

"That's it? That's all I have to do?" Eiri asked.

"That's the basics, yes."

Eiri nodded and hung up without saying anything. Tohma knew him well enough to not take offense. 'Just write how I feel, huh? Should be simple.'

Three hours later, the blonde was ready to start writing the song. He had finally written down how he felt about Shuichi. It had totaled 80 pages. 'Now,' Eiri thought. 'To pick the most poignant feelings.'

At 10 pm, the song was finished. Eiri saved the file on his computer and went to bed.

AN: Alright! Tomorrow or later on today part three will be up… Don't forget to review!


	3. Thursday

AN: It's Thursday…. Today, we have video games and a nice dinner… Enjoy! 

Shuichi woke up to K standing over him with a gun pointed at his head. Sighing, Shuichi got out of bed. He showered and dressed, and he was able to get to work without being shot at. Thursday was looking up for Shuichi.

He entered the studio and nodded at Suguru, who looked a little paler than usual. Hiro wasn't there yet.

"What's wrong, Suguru?"

Suguru took one look at Shuichi and fainted. The pink haired singer frowned. 'Did I do something?'

The door opened and Hiro walked in. "What'd you do to Suguru?" he asked.

"Hi to you, too, Hiro. And I didn't do anything to him. He looked at me and fainted."

Hiro laughed, and Shuichi glared at him. "Tomorrow is his date with Maiko-chan, right?" Shuichi nodded. "I think he's scared he's going to do something and Maiko is going to sick you on him."

Shuichi laughed. 'That would explain it,' he thought. Out loud, he said, "I wouldn't hurt him." At Hiro's blank look, he sighed. "Okay, I would, but he'd still be able to play for us."

Hiro smiled.

It took another forty-five minutes to wake Suguru up, and they began recording the last song.

Four hours later, they were done.

"WOOHOO!" screamed Shuichi. "WE'RE DONE!"

Hiro whooped, and Suguru smiled brightly. "Let's go celebrate," Hiro suggested.

Shuichi looked at him. "You don't want to prepare for Ayaka?"

Hiro shook his head. "There's not much I can do until tomorrow, anyway. Let's go hang out. Unless you want to finish your novella for Yuki-san…"

Shuichi smiled. "Naw. I've only got one chapter left. I stayed up really late last night and finished the sixth chapter while Yuki was asleep."

Hiro looked at the last member of their group. "You up for it, Suguru? We can give you tips for your date tomorrow."

Suguru smiled shakily. "No, thank you. I'm going to go home."

Shuichi and Hiro shrugged. "Suit yourself," Shuichi said. "But remember what I said, Suguru. I was serious."

Suguru swallowed and nodded. Bowing to K and Reiji, he left.

"So, what do you want to do, Shu?"

Shuichi shrugged. "Want to go to the arcade?"

Hiro thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure."

Saying bye to K and Reiji, the two friends left.  
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Eiri was frustrated. He knew what type of melody he wanted for the song, but he couldn't get it right. Glancing at the clock, he realized he had two hours before he had to leave for the studio.

Tohma had called earlier that morning to tell Eiri that Bad Luck would be done recording around noon, so he could have their booth to record his song.

The blonde scowled at the keyboard. He had just thought he'd give the lyrics to Shuichi, maybe even sing the song to him after dinner, but recording it had never crossed his mind. He didn't even know why he had agreed to Tohma's suggestion.

The only explanation he could think of was that he was going soft.

Sighing, Eiri looked back down at the keyboard. He just had to get the last part of the arrangement right, and he'd be done.

Trying it again, Eiri listened with a critical ear. After he had perfected the last part, he put in a blank disk and began to record the musical arrangement onto it. When that was finished, he replayed the music and sang the lyrics.

The writer smiled. It was perfect.

Looking at the clock, he realized that he had half an hour to get to the studio.

Eiri took a shower, dressed, and pocketed the disk with the arrangement along with his lyrics. Satisfied that he had everything, he left for the studio.  
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Shuichi opened the door to the apartment at four, and quietly took off his shoes. Gliding through the living room, the pink haired man realized that it was too quiet. Making his way to Yuki's office, he was surprised to find it empty.

Shuichi pouted. He should have realized it was too good to be true. Yuki wasn't home the one day that he had gotten home early. Sighing, Shuichi made his way into their bedroom and pulled his laptop out from between the mattress on his side. He knew Yuki would snoop around through his computer if he had the chance, just like Shuichi would snoop Yuki's if it didn't have so many password-protected features.

Powering on the laptop, Shuichi settled onto the bed. Browsing through his documents, he finally found the one he wanted. Clicking on it, the document opened up. Quickly reading over what he'd written already, Shuichi continued where he'd left off.

It was the end of the story, and the pink haired singer already knew exactly how the story ended, so it didn't take him long to finish the story. Seven pages per chapter. Seven chapters. Forty-nine pages total.

Clicking on the "SAVE" icon, Shuichi smiled. It was done.

Getting up off the bed, Shuichi made his way back to the office, laptop in tow. Hooking the laptop up to the printer, the pink haired man printed out his story.

"Now," Shuichi whispered into the empty room, "All I have to do is call Yuki's editor, and she'll have it bound." Smiling like an idiot, Shuichi pulled out his cell phone and made the call.

Several minutes later, Shuichi grabbed his manuscript and was on his way to meet with Mizuki.  
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Eiri looked at his watch. It was 6 pm. Shuichi was probably already home, no doubt worried about him. The blonde smiled. He hadn't really seen his lover since Monday, and here it was already Thursday.

Eiri pulled up in front of their apartment. Locking up his car, he noticed with dismay that the lights in the apartment were off. Which meant Shuichi wasn't home yet.

Eiri frowned. 'Maybe he went out with Nakano.'

Without another thought, he made his way up to the apartment and let himself in.

He was greeted with quiet. Taking his shoes off, the writer made his way to the kitchen. Looking around the cupboards, he began thinking about what he could make for dinner. Deciding that they hadn't had Italian for a while, the blonde decided that spaghetti would be good enough.

Eiri had just started to boil the water when Shuichi came home. "YUKI!"

The blonde smiled. "In the kitchen."

Shuichi bounded in the kitchen. Eiri couldn't help but notice that his lover looked very happy about something. "What are you so happy about, brat?"

Shuichi just smiled even wider. "Nothing, Yuki. I'll be right back."

Just like that, Shuichi left the kitchen. Eiri just shook his head and continued cooking. Twenty minutes later, the spaghetti was done, as well as the salad.

Shuichi and Eiri sat down at the table and prepared to eat.

"Umm… Yuki?"

Eiri looked up from his food. Shuichi was staring at him, and, for some reason, he felt the need to blush. "What?"

Shuichi smiled. "What did you do today?"

Eiri stared at Shuichi. 'Does he know?' Looking at the singer, he responded warily, "Why do you want to know, brat?"

Shuichi pouted cutely. "I was just trying to make conversation."

Eiri sighed. Of course Shuichi didn't know. The only other person who knew about his day was Tohma, and he wouldn't tell Eiri's boyfriend. "I went out for a while."

"Do anything interesting?"

Eiri scowled at Shuichi. He wasn't going to get out of conversation with the vocalist, so he said, "Not really. Had to see Tohma about something."

His boyfriend nodded knowingly. Eiri and Tohma only got along when necessary, so, in the pink haired man's mind, his poor Yuki must have been annoyed beyond belief all day.

Eiri looked at his boyfriend, wondering, not for the first time, what the vocalist was thinking. "What did you do today?"

Shuichi pondered the question. _I can't tell him I met with Mizuki-sama, _he thought. "I went to the arcade with Hiro."

"Is that all?"

Shuichi eyed Eiri suspiciously. _Does he know?_ "We finished recording the last song on the CD, so we have tomorrow off."

"Really? What are you planning to do all day? I have work, you know, so I won't be able to play any of your stupid games."

The pink haired man smiled. _That's my Yuki._ "Me and Hiro are going shopping. I'll be home in time to get ready for dinner."

Eiri chewed his spaghetti thoughtfully. Shuichi was going to be out of the house all day, so he wouldn't be home when Tohma dropped by with the CD, or when the last part of his anniversary gift arrived. "Good. I'll have quiet."

The two men looked at each other and smiled. Shuichi knew Eiri well enough to know that he didn't mean any of the seemingly mean and rude things that he said.

The rest of dinner was enjoyed in a comfortable silence.

Shuichi gathered up the dishes and began washing them while Eiri put the leftovers in the refrigerator. After tidying up the kitchen and putting the dishes away, Eiri and Shuichi made their way to bed.

Quietly, the two men undressed and changed into their pajamas. Eiri chanced a glance at Shuichi and noted with dismay that his lover was wearing his Nittle Grasper pajamas bottoms. "You are not wearing those in my bed, brat."

Shuichi looked at Eiri, mischief sparkling in his violet eyes. "Why not?"'

"You know why."

The violet-eyed singer blinked innocently, and Eiri groaned. He was not going to say it. Nothing in this lifetime would make him say why.

Shuichi started walking slowly toward his boyfriend. Knowing that he had the older man's undivided attention, he swayed his hips slightly.

Eiri's eyes dropped to his boyfriend's hips. Licking his lips, he continued silently chanting _I'm not saying it, I'm not saying it…_

The vocalist stood directly in front of the writer. Placing one hand on Eiri's bare chest, Shuichi stood on tiptoe and whispered, "Tell me." Flicking his tongue against the blonde's ear. "Please."

Eiri shivered against the feel of his lover's tongue on his ear. He could feel his resolve wavering. He was horny as hell, and he knew if he didn't give the younger man what he wanted, then the blonde wouldn't get what he wanted.

The writer captured his lover's mouth in a kiss. Pulling Shuichi tightly against his chest, he traces the younger man's mouth with his tongue, requesting entrance. The smaller man's mouth opened, and Eiri thrust his tongue into Shuichi's mouth.

Eiri pulled away a moment later, and whispered in Shuichi's ear, "They remind me of Tohma. Take them off."

Shuichi shivered against Eiri, opened, and Eiri thrust his tongue into Shuichi's mouth.

Eiri pulled away a moment later, and whispered in Shuichi's ear, "They remind me of Tohma. Take them off."

Shuichi shivered against Eiri, reveling in the sound of his lover's voice against his ear. Arching into his boyfriend, he whispered, "Make me."

Eiri smiled. He turned his head and caught Shuichi's lips, but it was Shuichi who thrust his tongue into Eiri's mouth.

Eiri moaned, and Shuichi smiled. It wasn't often that Shuichi was the aggressor, and he knew that Eiri loved it when he did.

A sudden tugging at his waist indicated that his lover had taken his challenge seriously, and within minutes, Shuichi's pajama bottoms were off and discarded on the floor near Eiri's boxers.

AN: Another part down… Only two more parts to go! Next part will be up tomorrow or later on tonight. Don't forget to review!


	4. Friday Morning

AN: Wow... I've gotten a lot of reviews for this story... It's kind of cool. grin Anyways, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed!

LoveDeeper: I had asteriks in there to separate the views, but I didn't know that they didn't show up. -pout- I fixed it in the later chapters, though. I'm glad you like the idea... I thought it was cute. -rin-  
Yazzy: Glad you're enjoying the story so far. 80 pages seems like it's a lot, huh? Well, he did condense it very well into his song... About the NG pjs... All really big fans have merchandise of their idols... So, I figured Shu would have had to have NG pjs, even if he made them himself... (and he did..)  
Chika of the High Mts: Glad you're enjoying the story... This is the next part, so I hope you like it!  
I love Athrun: Glad you think it's good... The next part is up, so I hope you enjoy!  
ShuxYuki: Before I thank you for reviewing, I have to say, I love your pen name! LOL Anyways, thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like it. -grin- The story is almost done, so I hope you continue to enjoy!  
Bram: Thanks for the review... The next part is up, and I hope that cheers you up like the last part did!  
Shlandria: Thanks for the kind words. I wanted to see how they work, because it's never really focused on. Plus, I thought it would be better to let people see the process Yuki is going through instead of just going from Chapter 1 to the end. Hope you continue to enjoy!  
EiriYukiLover: Glad you like. Hope you like this next part!  
Miki: It makes me happy that I made you laugh. LoL But, the 80 pages was sadly cut down to about a page so he could write the song... And that's in the next chapter... -grin-  
Lanasha: Wanna know what happens next? Here's the next part.. There's only one more chapter after this, so the wait won't be long!  
Kitty in the Box: I'm glad that you like Suguru and Maiko. Nothing is ever really mentioned about Maiko, and I didn't like her dweeby boyfriend in the beginning... I'd much rather like her with Suguru... -grin- Tohma, NG, and Yuki is a deadly combination. I'm surprised the pjs are still around... Hmmm...  
Tsugath: I liked the pj bit, too. -grin- It was fun to write! LOL Next chapter you'll find out how much they like their gifts... So stay tuned!  
Mizuky: Glad you liked, but, andI know I'm going to sound dumb asking this but, what's a lemon? Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!  
And, now on to our story...  
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Eiri woke up to the insistent ringing of his phone. Groaning, he turned his head to glance at the alarm clock. The big red numbers told him that it was 10:50 am, which, in Eiri time, was "too fucking early to be calling."

Rolling onto his side, he grabbed the phone on the bedside table and growled into the receiver.

"Good morning to you, too, Yuki-san. May I please speak with Shindou-kun?"

The voice on the other end was female, and Eiri's sleep-fogged mind registered that it was familiar. So, instead of trying to figure it out, he merely growled out, "Who is this?"

Feminine laughter flitted through the receiver into his ear. "This Kanna Mizuki." There was a pause. The woman on the other end sighed. "Your editor, Yuki-san."

Finally registering the name, Eiri groaned. "I told you the manuscript is done, Mizuki."

There was another sigh on the other end. "I know, Yuki-san. I'm meeting with you Tuesday at 4. I was calling to speak with Shindou-kun."

Eiri looked at the phone with a puzzled expression. "Why?"

"Because he asked me something, and I wish to give him an answer."

Knowing his editor could be a real pain when she wanted to be, Eiri rolled over and looked at his sleeping lover. He looked so peaceful that Eiri almost regretted having to wake him up.

Almost.

Putting his mouth close to the sleeping man's ear, he purred, "Wake up Shuichi."

Shuichi snuggled into Eiri, mumbling "No… Wanna sleep more…"

Smiling, Eiri started trailing kisses down Shuichi's neck, knowing full well that the younger boy would start moaning and wake up, which Shuichi promptly did.

Handing the wireless to his lover, he said, "It's Mizuki."

"WHAT! WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT IF SOMEONE WAS ON THE PHONE?"

Eiri smirked. "Because I can. Now, don't keep my poor editor waiting."

Glaring at his lover, Shuichi took the phone. "Hello?"

"Ah! Shindou-kun. Sorry to wake you up so early, but the story is bound, and I thought you'd want to know as soon as I had it back."

Shuichi smiled. All he had to do was pick it up, and finish up his shopping with Hiro later that afternoon. "What time can I get it?"

After a moment of page shuffling, Mizuki finally replied, "How is 12 o'clock for you? We can meet at the restaurant we met at yesterday."

Shuichi agreed, thanked her, and hung up. Getting out of bed, he made his way to the bathroom, intent on getting in a quick shower before leaving.

Eiri sat in the living room, drinking a cup of coffee when he heard his lover start the shower. He smiled to himself, picturing Shuichi with the water running down his naked body.

The phone rang again before he could get any farther in his fantasy. Growling, he got up and made his way to the kitchen, where the only other phone in the apartment was located. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Eiri-san!"

"Tohma. What do you want?"

Tohma laughed on the other end. Cheerily, he replied, "Is that any way to address your brother-in-law?"

Eiri growled into the receiver, and Tohma let out another laugh. _Bastard_, Eiri thought. "What do you want?" he growled.

Tohma tsked him, but continued. "The CD is done. I can drop it off anytime. Also, I added another track, so it was your song with your vocals, and the instrumental, in case you wanted to sing it for Shindou-san yourself."

Eiri looked at the phone. Surely this wasn't Tohma, the bane of his existence, being thoughtful when it came to his and Shuichi's relationship was it? "Fine. You can come by at 2. Shuichi should be gone by then." Without another word, Eiri hung up.  
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Shuichi was ten minutes late for his meeting with Mizuki. Mentally cursing himself for being distracted by Yuki, he looked around the patio for the editor. Finally spotting her, he made his way over to the table.

As he neared the table, he noticed another person sitting with the editor. Curious, Shuichi quickened his pace. As he got closer, he realized who it was.

"Hiro! What are you doing here?"

At the mention of his name, the guitarist looked at his best friend. Smiling, he motioned to a chair while answering the question posed him. "You said to meet you here at noon, Shu."

Shuichi racked his thoughts before he finally remembered that, he had in fact, told Hiro to meet him there. Turning to Mizuki, he bowed, then took his seat. "Sorry I'm late, Mizuki-sama."

Mizuki shook her head, waving his tardiness away. Reaching into her purse, she pulled a think paperback out and placed it in front of Shuichi. "No problem. Anyway, here is your story. We used your drawing as the cover. It was very appropriate." Shuichi beamed, and Mizuki smiled softly at him. "I read it over, as you asked. There were a fair amount of errors, but I didn't correct it."

"Why not?" Shuichi looked at Mizuki, puzzled.

The editor laughed. "The reason I left it as is, is because the way it was written had a part of you in it. If I were to make those corrections, then the story wouldn't have and real resonance. Those flaws are indicative of you, and to correct them would take you out of the story."

Shuichi looked confused. Looking at the brunette beside the singer for help, Mizuki felt helpless. She couldn't explain it to Shuichi.

Noticing that Mizuki was having trouble, Hiro spoke. "It's the same reason that we don't mess with your lyrics after you write them. They're a part of you, and they're personal. If we were to change them, then it wouldn't be personal, and they wouldn't be yours."

Shuichi nodded, understanding finally dawning on him. "Okay. Thank you, Mizuki-sama! I owe you one."

"Well, there is one thing you could do to help me, Shindou-kun."

An hour later, Mizuki and the two men parted ways. Mizuki had let Shuichi know how he could help, and the pink haired man had promised to think about it. He wasn't sure how he felt about having his feelings bared publicly.

"You know, it's a good opportunity, Shuichi. You're story would appear in Yuki-san's book, and that would get us more publicity."

"I know, Hiro, but… This was supposed to be for Yuki only. I don't want other people to read it, even if the characters aren't named after us."

Hiro smiled softly at his friend. He knew that whatever Shuichi decided, it would be Yuki-san who influenced it. If Yuki liked it, and told him he wanted it in his novel as a bonus story, like Mizuki had suggested, then Shuichi would do it. "Don't worry about it. Give the story to Yuki-san."

Shuichi smiled at his best friend. "Thanks Hiro. Now, what do you want to get for Ayaka?"

Hiro pondered the question for a moment. Finally, he responded, "How about a necklace? She likes roses, and there was a nice silver chain with a small rose on it at the jewelry store near the studio."

Nodding, the two men made there way to the jewelry store.

Entering the store, a ring display caught Shuichi's eye. Glancing at Hiro, he noticed his friend making his way to the necklace display. Shrugging, he made his way to the rings.

He knew what size ring Yuki wore, but he wasn't sure whether or not he would wear it if he got one. Yuki had changed, but he was still hard to predict.

"Whatcha looking at, Shu?"

Shuichi jumped at the voice in his ear. "Don't scare me like that, Hiro!"

"Sorry."

Calming down, Shuichi picked up a plain silver ring. "Do you think Yuki would wear this if I got him one?"

Shrugging, Hiro looked at his friend. "Honestly, I don't know. I suppose it would depend on his mood."

Shuichi stared at the ring, and decided to buy it. Walking to the register with Hiro in tow, he looked at the sales clerk. "Do you have this ring in a size 8?"

The sales clerk excused herself to check. Shuichi twirled the ring in his hand, waiting for the sales clerk to return. When she did, she had a box with her. "We do, sir. This is our last one, though."

"I'll take it."

Putting the display ring on the counter, the vocalist pulled out his wallet. "How much?"

The cashier rang up the ring. "That will be 2,000 yen, please."

Trying not to show his shock at the price, Shuichi gave the girl his credit card. While his card was processing, the girl asked him, "Would you like to have the ring engraved?" At Shuichi's look, the girl hurried on. "It's free, and only takes an hour."

"Free" was all Shuichi needed to hear. Telling the girl that, yes, he would like it engraved, and telling her what he wanted it to say, the pink haired man signed his credit card slip and left, promising to return in an hour.

"So, what do you want to do, Shuichi?"

Shuichi looked at his friend. "What time is Ayaka coming into town?"

"Not until seven or so. I didn't tell her we had the day off, so I had time to clean and set everything up. I just need to pick up some candles and roses on the way home, and I'm all set."

Shuichi looked at his watch. It was only three. He had three hours before he needed to get home to change for his date with Yuki. "Wanna go to the arcade? We can play for an hour, go pick up the ring, then go to the florist to get your roses, and then you can get some candles at the shop next door."

"Sounds good, Shu."  
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Eiri was sleeping when a pounding on the door woke him up. Thinking that Shuichi had forgotten his keys again, he made his way towards the door. Glancing at the clock, he noted that Tohma was half an hour late.

It didn't connect that Shuichi wasn't due to return until six, and that Tohma was due at two.

Opening the door, Eiri blinked. Shuichi seemed to look a lot like Tohma. "Shuichi, why do you look like Tohma?"

"Shuichi" looked confused. "Are you alright, Eiri-san? I am Tohma…"

Eiri shook his head. Tohma was still at the door. "Where's Shuichi?"

Tohma looked at his brother-in-law suspiciously. "Have you been drinking, Eiri? Or, perhaps, you're on one of your medications again?"

At the mention of medication, the last vestiges of sleep disappeared from his mind. "Tohma, what are you doing here?"

Sighing, Tohma held out a CD. "Dropping this off, like you asked me to."

Grabbing the CD, Eiri nodded his thanks at Tohma and shut the door. He hadn't taken more than ten steps when the doorbell rang.

Silently, Eiri debated against answering the door. Suddenly, he remembered he was expecting a delivery, and this might be it. Turning around, he made his way back to the door.

Looking through the peephole, he saw a young man dressed in a uniform that was vaguely familiar. Opening the door, he said, "Yes?"

The youth perked up at the voice. "Hi! I have a delivery for a Uesugi, Eiri."

"That's me."

The young man smiled. "I just need your signature here, please." He held out a clipboard, which Eiri took and signed.

Handing the clipboard back to the delivery boy, he waited for the other man to give him his package.

After checking the signature, the delivery boy pulled out a small velvet box and handed it to Eiri.

Giving the boy a tip, Eiri took the box and shut the door. Opening the red velvet box, he looked at the contents.

It was a silver ring. He gently picked the ring up out of the box and looked at the inscription inside: _Forever Yours, Eiri._

Smiling slightly, he put the ring back in the box. Walking back to the coffee table where he had placed the CD, he grabbed the CD and went to his office. Putting the ring in the last drawer of his desk, he looked at the CD.

He hadn't really looked at it after Tohma gave it to him. The cover was a picture that he had given to Tohma of him and Shuichi. On the other side of the cover, there was an empty space for Eiri to write a handwritten message. The CD itself had the title of the song, the writer, composer, producer, and tracks written in a flowing font that he had also chosen.

Picking up a blue pen, Eiri added the handwritten note. Making sure the ink was dry, he shut the case, and put the CD with the ring.

Then he went back to bed.

AN: One more to go…The final part is the long awaited date and gift exchange… And it's going to be up as soon as I can get my stupid computer to load it! Don't forget to review!


	5. Friday Night

AN: It's the last part! The two go on their date and exchange presents…By the way, the song that's here is one that I wrote for the story... So, sorry if it's not good! Hope you enjoy!

Shuichi unlocked the door to find the living room empty. Glancing at his watch, he saw that the time was 6:10. They had reservations for an Italian restaurant that Eiri liked at 7:30, so he knew that his boyfriend hadn't left him.

Hiding the bag that contained the ring and book in his jacket in case Eiri popped out of nowhere. Cautiously, he made his way to the office. Seeing it empty, Shuichi took the opportunity to hide his boyfriend's presents.

Deciding that he should get dressed, and that Eiri probably went out to buy cigarettes or something else, the pink haired man made his way to their bedroom.

Noticing the door locked, Shuichi wondered if Eiri was getting dressed. Knocking, he called out, "Yuki? Are you in there?" When he didn't receive an answer, the vocalist shrugged and opened the door. Looking around the room, he spotted his boyfriend.

Eiri was lying on the bed sound asleep. Shuichi smiled. 'Yuki wouldn't want to miss our reservations, and he'll be mad if he doesn't have time to dress properly. I should wake him up.'

With a wicked glint in the vocalist's eyes, he gently sat down on the bed next to the sleeping man. Leaning over, Shuichi gently nipped the older man's earlobe. When this action did nothing more than generate a low moan, the violet-eyed man decided that more drastic measures were needed.

"Yuki…" he whispered into the other man's ear. Gently, Shuichi trailed a hand on the exposed chest of his boyfriend. "You need to wake up…"

Another moan, and Shuichi brought his mouth to his lover's neck. Trailing kisses down Eiri's neck, the younger man began to gently move his hands up and down the novelist's chest.

"Mmm… Keep doing that, and we're not going to dinner, brat."

Lifting his head, Shuichi looked at Eiri. Still not fully awake, the older man's golden eyes were softer, and sleep had softened his otherwise hard facial features. A small smile played on his lips, and Shuichi couldn't resist the urge to kiss him.

Eiri pulled away from the kiss first, knowing all too well that if things continued the way they were, they really wouldn't make dinner, and the novelist wanted this anniversary to be perfect for his boyfriend. "Get ready."

Shuichi leaned in for one last kiss before hurrying off of the bed and grabbing his suit. He paused at the door and looked back at his boyfriend. "I love you, Yuki!" That said, he rushed out of the room. A moment later, a door shut, and Eiri knew that Shuichi was in the bathroom getting changed.

"I love you, too, Shuichi."  
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Eiri looked at his boyfriend over the table. Shuichi had been talking nonstop about something or other, but the novelist wasn't listening. Instead, he was doing something more interesting.

Watching Shuichi when he was excited about something was always fun. Most people who knew the hyperactive man would assume the more excited he became, the more hyper he became. That was not the case.

When Shuichi was truly excited about something, he became very serious. One would think that something bad had just happened, but if you looked in his eyes, you could see all of the excitement he held about that subject. His eyes positively sparkled, and when they did that, Eiri couldn't help but be mesmerized.

"Yuki?"

Pulled out of his thoughts, Eiri focused on Shuichi's face, and not just his eyes. The violet-eyed man was looking at him curiously. "What?"

"Are you ready to order, sir?"

Momentarily startled by the voice, Eiri looked to his side. A waiter stood there with a notepad, pen poised to take their orders. Nodding, the novelist ordered meat lasagna with a side salad. Looking at his boyfriend, he added a bottle of their most expensive wine.

Shuichi ordered fettuccini alfredo and a side salad. As soon as the waiter left, he began talking again. "So, Sakuma-san said that he wants to do a song with us, and he even wants me to write it!"

Eiri looked at his boyfriend, seeing the excitement shining in his eyes, and he had to kick the urge to tell him how beautiful he looked. Instead, he said, "Ryuchi hasn't heard your songs, has he? Otherwise he'd know you have zero talent."

Shuichi pouted cutely at the blonde. He knew that Eiri was teasing, and that his songwriting had gotten better, but it was an ongoing joke between them that always resurfaced whenever there was mention of the vocalist writing. "You're so mean, Yuki."

"And you love that about me," was the other man's deadpan reply.

Smiling at Eiri, the younger man reached his hand over the table and rested it on his lover's. Bracing himself for Eiri to push his hand off, he was surprised when the blonde turned his hand around, so that his hand and Shuichi's hand were palm to palm.

A minute later, the waiter returned with the wine that Eiri had ordered. Pouring the wine into two glasses, the waiter set them in front of the two lovers. "You're food will be here shortly."

Eiri gave the man a curt nod, and he left. Slowly, Eiri twined his fingers with Shuichi's. Noticing the pink haired man's soft smile, the novelist gave his hand a small squeeze.

They sat like that until their food arrived.  
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Eiri unlocked the door to the apartment he shared with Shuichi. It was a quarter to eleven, and the novelist knew that if the vocalist had to wait any longer for his presents, he would burst.

Taking off his shoes, Eiri excused himself from the living room to retrieve the CD and ring.

Opening the door to the office, he entered the room and went straight for the drawer where he had placed the gifts earlier. Retrieving them, he went back to the living room where his boyfriend was waiting.

Shuichi interrupted Eiri before he could give him the gifts. "Let me go get yours, and then we can exchange them, okay Yuki?"

Eiri nodded and took a seat on the couch, still holding onto the CD and ring. A minute later, Shuichi returned.

Violet eyes met golden ones, and neither man could talk. Their minds were too worried with how the other would react to the gifts. Shuichi wasn't sure if Eiri would even read the novella, while Eiri wasn't sure if Shuichi would like the song.

Eiri broke eye contact first. Lowering his gaze to the floor, he mumbled, "Hold on one more second." Silently, Shuichi nodded.

The novelist rose from the couch and made his way over to his sound system. 'Might as well get this over with. If he doesn't like it, I still have the ring. At least I know he'll like that.'

Quietly, he turned on the CD player. Opening the case, he loaded the CD into the player, and put it on track two. The quiet atmosphere filled with the low sounds of the synth. Taking a deep breath, Eiri turned around. Staring at Shuichi, the novelist began to sing.

_I didn't know how to open up_  
_Or let my feelings show.  
__I was happy locked away  
__Behind my many walls.  
__But then you came into my life  
__And began to break through._

Shuichi stared in amazement. He had never heard the other man sing, and the younger man was surprised at how good his boyfriend's voice was.

_You made me realize_  
_That I can't hide from you  
__And more importantly,  
__I don't want to…_

_Without you in my life  
__I couldn't see the sun.  
Without you by my side,  
__My heart wasn't one.  
__I didn't know I could feel this way  
__But now I know, my love…  
__Without you I am lost…_

Shuichi couldn't move. All he could do was watch as the man he loved began to move towards him. Soon, Eiri was in front of the smaller man, and still Shuichi couldn't move.

Eiri smiled and took Shuichi's hands.

_I tried to make you leave_  
_But you wouldn't go.  
__I tried to make you hate me,  
__But you only loved me more.  
I didn't know what to do  
__To show you that I care  
__And that I'll always be there…_

_Without you in my life,  
__I couldn't see the sun.  
Without you by my side,  
__My heart wasn't one.  
__I didn't know I could feel this way  
__But now I know, my love,  
__Without you I am lost…_

The music began to slow and Eiri lowered his head. Softly, he kissed his boyfriend.

The touch of Eiri's lips brought Shuichi out of his trance. Kissing him back, the younger man leaned into the blonde.

The novelist broke the kiss after a moment. Pulling away from Shuichi, he went back to the CD player and took the CD out. Placing it back in the case, he walked back to his boyfriend and put the case in his hands.

Shuichi looked that the CD case Eiri had just given him. On the front was a picture of the two of them. Violet eyes began to fill with tears as he opened the CD case and read the handwritten inscription.

_Shuichi, I know that I haven't been the greatest boyfriend in the world, and that I act as if I don't need you… The truth is I do. I need you more than anything. I love you. Eiri Uesugi_

Silently, tears began to fall from Shuichi's eyes. Looking at the CD, he read the writing that was printed on it.

_Without You I Am Lost  
__Written and Arranged by Eiri Uesugi  
__Produced by Tohma Seguchi  
__Track 1: Without You I Am Lost (Vocals: Eiri Uesugi)  
__Track 2: Without You I Am Lost (Instrumental)_

Shuichi looked at his boyfriend in wonder. "You wrote this?" Eiri nodded. "And you arranged it?" Another nod. "I didn't know you knew how to play…"

Eiri rolled his eyes and replied in a gentle voice, "Tohma is my brother-in-law. Mika, Tatshua, and myself can all play a synth."

The smaller man wrapped his arms around Eiri's neck. Standing on tiptoes, Shuichi kissed his boyfriend sweetly. "Thank you. This is the best present ever." Eiri's arms wrapped around Shuichi's body, and the vocalist rested his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. "You have a nice voice. You should sing more."

Eiri chuckled. "I'll sing only for you, Shuichi."

Shuichi reluctantly pulled away from the embrace, deciding that it was time to give Eiri his gift, which Shuichi had placed on the coffee table the moment he had heard the music.

Reaching into the back, Shuichi pulled out the small paperbound book. Shyly, he handed it to Eiri, who took it.

The cover was a soft shade of lilac. In black cursive letters, "ONLY YOU" was printed. Underneath the title there was a picture of two rings on a periwinkle cloth and white rose petals. But that wasn't what made Eiri sharply inhale.

The author of this book was Shuichi Shindou.

Looking at his boyfriend for a second, he opened the book to the title page. The next page was the dedication, which Eiri paused to read.

_Dedicated to Eiri Uesugi. I love you more than you'll ever know, and this story is to remind you of that. It's our story. I hope you treasure it as much as I treasure you._

"Do you want me to read it now?"

Shuichi nodded his head silently, and Eiri went and sat on the couch. His boyfriend followed him and sat next to him, placing his head on the novelist's shoulder.

It didn't take Eiri long to read it. Maybe fifteen minutes, tops, but it was a little longer before he could speak.

He didn't know that Shuichi could write like this. The story came alive, and not only because Eiri had lived the events, but because of the way it was written. The story was better than anything that he had read in a long time.

Pulling Shuichi closer to him, he turned his head and kissed his little lover. "I love it, Shu. It's perfect."

Shuichi smiled brightly at him. "I have something else for you."

Eiri smiled back at his boyfriend. "Really? Good, because I have something else for you." Pulling Shuichi onto his lap, he kissed the other man passionately.

A moment later, the two pulled away panting. "That's not what it was," Shuichi panted.

"Good, because that's not what I had for you, either."

Shuichi pulled the red velvet box out of his pocket and handed the box to Eiri wordlessly.

Eiri looked at Shuichi, shock written on his face. Pulling the red velvet box he had for Shuichi out of his pocket, he handed it wordlessly to the other man.

Shuichi looked at the box, surprised. Taking the box from Eiri at the same time Eiri took the box from him, he opened it.

Inside was a silver ring, much like the one he had gotten for Eiri. Gently, he took the ring out of the box. Looking at the ring, he noticed that there was an inscription inside: _Forever Yours, Eiri._

As Shuichi was looking at the ring Eiri had given him, Eiri was looking at the ring Shuichi had given him. It was identical to the one he had picked for his lover. Turning it in his hand, he realized that there was an inscription. It said: _Yours Always, Shuichi._

Eiri looked up to find Shuichi looking at him. Silently, he took the ring out his violet-eyed lover's hand, and slipped it on Shuichi's ring finger. Wordlessly, Shuichi did the same.

"I love you, Eiri Uesugi," Shuichi whispered.

Eiri kissed him. "When did I stop being 'Eiri Yuki?'" he whispered against Shuichi's lips.

Shuichi pulled back and stared him straight in the eyes. "I love the real you, as well as the public you. The real you is Eiri Uesugi, and I love him as much as I love Eiri Yuki." Shuichi paused, as if thinking of how to continue. After a minute, he continued. "You took the last name 'Yuki' to torment yourself for what you did, to allow Kitazawa to continue to haunt you. If you truly love me, then Kitazawa is gone. Therefore, 'Yuki' is gone, and all you're left with is Eiri Uesugi. And I love him with all my heart." As if to prove his point, Shuichi captured the stunned Eiri's lips in a kiss. The kiss was gentle and slow, and filled with all of the love that Shuichi felt.

Eiri pulled back after a few minutes, and Shuichi was surprised to find tears streaming down his face. Silently, the vocalist began to kiss his lover's tears away.

The blonde man gently pulled away from his lover's light kisses and looked him straight in the eyes, as Shuichi had just done to him. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I love you with every fiber of my being, Shuichi Shindou."

Smiling, Shuichi captured Eiri's lips in another kiss. After a moment, Eiri whispered in Shuichi's ear, "Happy two year anniversary, Shuichi."

"Happy anniversary, Eiri."

AN: That's it… Review and tell me how you like… Thanks for reading it! By the way, this is only the end of the anniversary... There is still one more big event for them to deal with, and I'll post when I'm done with it...


	6. Epilogue: Hiro's Perfect Dinner

AN: Alright… I'm back for two more chapters, although they're more bonus stories/epilogues than actual chapters… There were some who expressed an interest in knowing how Hiro and Suguru's Friday night went, so here you are! Two epilogues, one of which tells of Hiro and Ayaka's dinner, and one that tells of Suguru and Maiko's date! Enjoy and review!

Hiro's Perfect Dinner 

Hiroshi Nakano looked around his apartment with satisfaction. The place was spotless, the table was set, the candles were lit, rose petals were scattered on the table, and his gift to Ayaka, a beautiful silver chain with a rose charm, was in place amidst the rose petals.

Hiro smiled. Everything was perfect. Dinner would be finished in ten minutes, and Ayaka would be there in five. Whistling, Hiro went to his room to change.

Having showered before he started dinner, he picked out his clothes and changed out of the pajama bottoms and tank top he had donned to cook. Three minutes later, he emerged from his room dressed in a white button-up shirt with the top four buttons undone and a pair of blue jeans that were tight in all the right places. Moving to the kitchen, he quickly checked on the dinner he was making before retrieving the dozen red roses he had bough earlier that day with Shuichi.

Hiro spared a moment to wonder how his friend was. He knew tonight was Shu's big night with Yuki-san, and he hoped, if not for his friend's sake but his own sanity, that it went well.

The doorbell brought Hiro out of his thoughts. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was 7pm, which meant Ayaka was here.

Tugging his shirt with one hand, roses held in the other, he went to open the door. Taking a deep breath to calm his suddenly pounding heart, Hiro opened the door.

Ayaka Usami stood on the threshold, the porch light creating a soft glow around her. She was wearing a knee-length black skirt, a pair of black strappy sandals, and a red button-up shirt. Her long black hair was curled and softly framed her face. An iridescent sheen on her lips was testimony to the fact that she was wearing lip-gloss, which seemed to be the only make up she ever wore.

"Nakano-san," Ayaka bowed politely.

"Ayaka! Come in, come in!" Hiro gently grabbed the girl's hand and led her inside. Suddenly remembering the roses he held in his hand, he lifted them and brought them in front of Ayaka's face. "For you."

Ayaka blushed, but there was a smile on her face. Taking the roses, she inhaled their sweet scent. "Thank you, Nakano-san. They're beautiful."

It was Hiro's turn to blush. "I thought you agreed to call me by my first name," he teased gently.

The raven-haired beauty flushed a deeper red. "Of course, Naka… I mean, Hiroshi-san."

Suddenly, an insistent beep began to sound from the kitchen. Glancing at the clock, Hiro realized that dinner was done. Closing the door, he led Ayaka to the kitchen. Pulling out her chair, he motioned for her to sit.

"I'm just going to get the food."

Ayaka looked intently at the table. There were two white candles in the center of the table, one on each side of a centerpiece made of red, white, and yellow roses. The table was scattered with red rose petals, although she noticed that near her plate, which had already been set, there were some white petals set up in a sort of arrow.

Curious, she lifted her hand and gently placed it on the spot that the arrow indicated. The velvety feel of the rose petals was all she felt at first, but she soon felt a small lump. Just as she was about to investigate further, Hiro returned with their dinner.

Ayaka stared at the food, appreciation evident in her eyes. He had made her favorite: chicken parmesan sprinkled with parsley, and steamed rice with carrots, peas, and little bits of chicken mixed in.

Grinning sheepishly, Hiro placed the food on the table, the slight breeze of the movement making a few petals dance slightly before settling down again. Noticing Ayaka's hand near the necklace, he casually asked, "Find anything interesting?"

Ayaka looked confused for a moment before she realized she hadn't moved her hand from the spot below the arrow. Flushing, she stammered, "I'm sorry. It's just, my curiosity got the best of me, and…"

Hiro had moved closer to Ayaka as she was stammering an apology and stopped her rambling with a soft kiss. It was very chaste, just a mere brushing of lips against each other, but both of their cheeks were stained pink when they pulled apart.

"I'm sorry if I was out of line," Hiro stammered apologetically.

Lowering her eyes to her empty plate, she murmured, "No, it's perfectly okay."

Sighing in relief, Hiro noticed her hand still on the necklace hidden beneath the petals. "Look under the petals where your hand is, Ayaka," he whispered.

Nodding silently, Ayaka gently moved aside the petals until a gleam of silver caught her eye. Lifting the chain from its bed of petals, she studied the necklace.

It was a very fine silver chain, made of little silver circles interlocking to create the actual chain, but that wasn't what caught her eye. What caught her eye was the silver rose charm on the chain. It was a single rose, and in the center of the bloom was a small diamond.

Ayaka hadn't noticed Hiro moving to stand behind her until he whispered hesitantly in her ear, "Do you like it?"

She gasped softly at the feel of his breath against her ear and immediately began to blush again. "I love it," she whispered.

Hiro grinned behind her. "Want me to help you put it on?"

When she nodded, Hiro took the chain gently from her. She lifted her hair from her neck so it would be easier to fasten, and the cool chain was placed around her neck. Hiro clasped the necklace and stepped back. Walking to his chair, he paused to look at her, quietly commenting that it looked good on her.

Both companions were blushing as they began to put food on their plates.

Ayaka was about to say a blessing when Hiro heard the front door open. A quick glance at the clock told him that it was 7:30pm. Shuichi and Yuki-san would be at the restaurant, so it couldn't be Shuichi. Besides, Shu knew how much Hiro wanted to be alone with Ayaka. That only left one person…

"BRO! I'M HOME!"

Ayaka, startled by the sudden voice, jumped slightly in her seat.

"Why's it so dark in here?" the voice continued. The lights in the living room came on, and the voice yelled, "HIROSHI! ARE YOU HOME?"

Gritting his teeth, Hiro looked at Ayaka. Quietly excusing himself, the young man went in search of his brother.

Finding Yuji in the spare room he'd taken over, Hiro growled. Yuji jumped as he turned around. "Hiro! There you are!"

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" the guitarist ground out.

Yuji pouted. "Whaddya mean? I live here." Seeing his younger brother's clenched fists, Yuji sighed. "Work got out early, okay? I came home to go to sleep." Jokingly, he added, "It's not like you've got a girl over or anything."

A sudden thought struck Yuji then. A thought that had been trying to make it to the fore of his addled brain since he decided to go home after work. _Ayaka-chan is coming to dinner tonight, Yuji, so stay away from the apartment!_

Grinning sheepishly at his little brother, he said, "I forgot! You DO have a girl here!" Pondering the type of girl his uptight little brother would go for, he mused, "Maybe I should go introduce myself…"

Before Hiroshi could comprehend what his idiotic older brother had said, Yuji was already out the door and on his way to the kitchen.  
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Ayaka sat at the table, staring at her food. _I wonder who that was?_ she wondered. _It sounded like a man, so I know it's not another woman. Besides, Hiroshi-san would never cheat on me…_

A sudden squeak drew Ayaka's gaze to the chair next to her, which, empty only moments before, now held a young man. He looked older than Hiroshi, but only by a few years. His facial structure was strong, and, she supposed if one were into the pretty boy look, attractive. His eyes were the same shape and color as Hiroshi's, but lacked the slightly guarded warmth that Hiroshi's held.

The man had black hair and was wearing a shiny black button-up shirt. She couldn't see what type of pants he was wearing, but, in all honesty, she wasn't interested. She was more interested in knowing who he was and why he was here.

"Hi!" the stranger said. "I'm Yuji Nakano, Hiro's older brother. You must be Ayaka-chan. I've heard so much about you!"

Taking her hand in his, he gave her a firm handshake. Ayaka was startled, but her upbringing remained unshaken. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Nakano-san."

She vaguely remembered Hiroshi telling her that his brother had moved in with him, but she hadn't thought that he would be home tonight. She had hoped that it would just be Hiroshi and her…

Hiro entered the kitchen to find his brother sitting in the seat next to Ayaka, chatting incessantly about anything that came to his mind. Pushing down his anger and frustration at having his dinner with Ayaka disrupted, he made his way further into the kitchen.

Sitting back down, he shot an apologetic look at Ayaka, who nodded slightly to let him know it was okay. Fixing his older brother with a glare, Hiro spoke. "Yuji, Ayaka-chan and I were just sitting down to eat. Don't you have someplace else you need to be?"

Yuji got the hint his brother had voiced, but he was having too much fun. He could _feel _how uncomfortable his brother was, and it would be so easy to make him even more uncomfortable. Ayaka was pretty, and he knew how much his brother cared for her. He also knew how slow their relationship was progressing.

Being the kind, considerate older brother he was, Yuji replied, "Nope. Mind if I join you for dinner?" Without waiting for an answer, Yuji went to the cupboard, grabbed a plate, and then went to the silverware drawer to grab a fork. Sitting back down next to Ayaka, he began to pile his plate with food.

Hiro stared helplessly at his brother as he began shoveling food in his mouth. A glance at Ayaka showed her staring at him in astonishment. Hiro closed his eyes, praying that his brother would leave.

Ayaka looked at Hiroshi to see his eyes closed in frustration. A small smile formed on her face. She had come to have a good time with Hiroshi, and to have a good meal. She was going to have both.

Picking up her fork, she said a small prayer. She noticed Hiroshi opened his eyes as she began, and close them again in respect of the prayer. After, she looked him in the eye and gave him a small smile.

Touching her fork to the chicken, Ayaka began to eat. Hiro smiled. If she could make the best of this, so could he.

Yuji had finished his food and sat watching his brother and Ayaka. Neither said anything. _How boring!_ he thought. Racking his brain for possible conversation topics, Yuji smiled. He was going to get hell for this later, but for now…  
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Hiro was going to kill his brother. For the past half an hour, Yuji had been regaling Ayaka with stories of their childhood, stories that Hiro would rather have not been reminded of.

"And so, he got so freaked out, he was hiding under the seat at the theatre! I mean, we were only ten minutes into the movie, and he had already been scared stiff!"

Ayaka laughed, and Hiro felt like he was going to cry. _Yuji shouldn't be making her laugh_, he thought. _I should._

Yuji finished the story of the time he and his family had gone to see _Halloween VI_ in theatres, and Hiro felt hope surge within him. Maybe he would stop…

"Oh! I have another one!"

Never mind.

Ayaka glanced at Hiroshi. He looked sullen, and Ayaka sympathized. If it had been her family telling stories about her childhood, she would look sullen, too.

She enjoyed hearing the stories never the less. Hiroshi always came off as a responsible kind of guy, willing to have a good laugh, but so long as the rules weren't broken. He had seemed incapable of doing anything remotely wild, in her opinion, but she was learning about a new side of him.

"His high school graduation… He had just failed his entrance exams to medical school, and he was the one who was supposed to speak to the class. The Student Council thought he would pass for sure…"

Ayaka listened intently, watching Hiroshi out of the corner of her eye. He was fidgeting. Glancing discreetly at the clock, she came up with a way to get some alone time with Hiroshi so he could have a break from his brother.

After Yuji finished telling her how Hiroshi and Shuichi had hijacked the stage and performed an impromptu concert, Ayaka put her plan in action.

"It's getting kind of late, so I was wondering if you would walk me to the hotel that I'm staying at, Hiroshi-san?"

Hiro glanced at the clock and was surprised to find that it was already 10pm. Finding a way to escape from his brother, Hiro quickly agreed. Grabbing a coat, he and Ayaka left the apartment.

A few minutes passed in awkward silence before either of them spoke. It was Ayaka who broke the silence. "So, you and Shindou-san really did that?"

Hiro smiled faintly as he remembered their graduation. It seemed like it was such a long time ago, like more than three years had passed… "Yeah. I had quit the band, and Shu and me weren't talking. My speech was an apology to him, and the Student Council president had gotten a guitar and synth from the music lab, so we played."

Ayaka felt her stomach flip flop at Hiroshi's smile. Smiling to herself, she began asking Hiro for more details about the stories Yuji had told.

Hearing Hiroshi talk about his memories revealed a different side to Ayaka. He was always so nervous around her, as she was around him, but talking about this, he didn't seem nervous anymore. Just listening to him talk calmed Ayaka, made her want to talk to him more.

Soon, they were outside of the hotel that Ayaka was staying at. She would be returning home the next evening, as soon as Tatsuha was finished visiting with Ryuichi. Realizing that she could spend the day with Hiro, she began debating whether or not she should ask.

"So, when are you leaving tomorrow?"

Ayaka sighed in relief. Maybe he would ask her… "Tomorrow night. Tatsuha-kun is spending tomorrow afternoon with Sakuma-san, so…"

Hiroshi looked at her intently. Leaning down, he surprised her with a quick kiss. "Would you like to go the park tomorrow afternoon?"

Deliberatly pausing, Ayaka replied, "Will you tell me more stories of when you were younger?"

"Only if you tell me stories of when you were younger."

Ayaka smiled. "It's a date."

Hiro grinned. He had another date with Ayaka tomorrow. Taking her hand gently in his, he walked her up to her door. As soon as she opened it and walked inside, she turned around.

Normally, Hiro would get nervous, wondering what to do, but the walk to the hotel had been very nice. He wasn't nervous at all after adding more detail to the stories Yuji had told. In a way, it was all thanks to his brother that he wasn't so nervous…

_I'm still kicking his butt, though, _Hiro thought.

"Dinner was delicious, Hiroshi-san," Ayaka said softly.

Hiro smiled. "It was no problem, I'm just sorry that my idiot of a brother ruined it."

Ayaka shook her head. "He didn't ruin it. Although," she said, "I would have liked to spend more time alone with you."

"Well, we have all of tomorrow afternoon," he replied. Leaning forward, Hiro kissed her one more time. "I'll come get you at 10am. Good night, Ayaka."

"Good night, Hiroshi," she whispered, and then closed the door gently.

Hiro stood staring at Ayaka's door. They had another date tomorrow, and they had actually kissed her. _I kissed Ayaka three times!_

The guitarist began making his way back home, his thoughts wandering over his date with Ayaka that night. While it hadn't been perfect, it was the first time they weren't utterly tense and nervous in each other's company.

Yuji had done something that Hiro would have thanked him for, had he not still been angry with him.

Hiro's smile turned into a grin as he began to think of ways to pay his older brother back for embarrassing him that night. Hiro conceded to himself that it didn't do any harm, that it had actually loosened things up with him and Ayaka, but still.

Nobody embarrassed Hiroshi Nakano and got away with it. Not even family.


	7. Epilogue: Suguru's First Date

AN: Alright… This is Suguru and Maiko's date. Hope you enjoy!

Suguru's First Date 

To say that Suguru Fujisaki was nervous was an understatement. The green haired man was terrified. He had never been on a date before, and for his first date, he had to be taking out Shuichi Shindou's younger sister! Oh yes… Nervous was an understatement.

Suguru checked his outfit for the fiftieth time in the past ten minutes. He was wearing a green turtleneck and some blue jeans. He wasn't sure if Maiko would like his outfit, but it was too late now. He didn't have time to change, unless he wanted to be late to pick up Maiko.

Shuichi's warning once again played in his head. He wasn't sure if the lead singer had done this purposely or not. With him, it was hard to tell when he was being serious. All Suguru knew was that he kept picturing Taki Aizawa after Shuichi had beat him up for messing with Yuki-san.

Suguru shuddered. Pulling himself together once again, he left his small apartment to pick up Maiko.

The Shindou's house was only a block away from his own apartment, so he got to the house relatively quickly. A glance at his watch showed that he was five minutes early. Figuring that it was better to be early than to be late, Suguru knocked.

An older woman, presumably Shuichi and Maiko's mother, answered the door. "May I help you?"

Suguru bowed politely. "Hello. I'm Suguru Fujisaki and I'm here to pick up Maiko."

"Ah! Fujisaki-kun! I thought I heard your voice!"

Maiko Shindou appeared from behind the door. She wore a pair of blue jeans, a long sleeved black shirt with a white "BAD LUCK" t-shirt over it.

"I'm ready to go if you are, Fujisaki-kun," Maiko chirped.

Suguru nodded quietly, and Maiko hugged her mom. "I'll be home before 7pm, okay, Mom?"

Maiko's mom nodded, and Suguru and Maiko left.

Walking side by side, Maiko began chatting. Suguru was mesmerized by the sound of her voice, and was surprised to find that they had reached the train station so fast. Fishing around his back pockets, Suguru produced two train tickets to Kyoto.

"I'm so excited! I've never been to Kyoto on a date before!" Maiko exclaimed. "Have you?"

Suguru blushed. Deciding to answer honestly, he said, "No. I've never been on a date before."

Maiko stared at him open mouthed. "Really?" Suguru nodded. "Are you serious?" Another nod. "Wow… I would have thought for sure you dated all the time!"

Suguru's face turned a deep scarlet. He was getting uncomfortable talking about his lack of dating. Trying to change the subject, he decided to find out what she wanted to do in Kyoto.

Maiko thought about it. She'd been to Kyoto a few times, mostly on school trips, so she'd seen all of the shrines and historic places plenty of times. Remembering one particular visit, Maiko decided what she wanted to do. "If it's not too much trouble, can we see a play? There's a nice little theatre, and they do all sorts of different types of shows."

Suguru smiled. He'd been to the theatre she was talking about a year ago with Tohma and Mika. They had taken him out for his birthday to do something fun, and Suguru had wanted to see a play.

"Sure. I'd love to see a play. How about we get lunch after that?"

Maiko nodded as a loud whistle announced the arrival of their train. Grabbing Suguru's hand in her own, she pulled him towards the train. They boarded and took their seats, hands still clasped together, though neither one seemed to mind.

The train ride to Kyoto was filled with conversation. Suguru asked Maiko about school while Maiko asked Suguru about recording at the studio. Little by little, Suguru was beginning to relax. _This is fun, _he thought. _I shouldn't have been worried…_

"So, Fujisaki-kun, is my brother annoying you yet?"

Suguru contemplated this question. He knew that Maiko loved her brother. She called him twice a day, went to every concert, and they even went out to lunch together once a week. Saying something bad about Shuichi could ruin everything, so he carefully worded his answer. "He's very energetic, but he doesn't annoy me." _He only annoys me on days ending in "y,"_ Suguru thought.

Maiko looked at Fujisaki in shock. "Are you serious? Wow! You're a lot more patient than I am! Shuichi always annoys me! I don't know how Hiro puts up with him!"

Smiling, Suguru shook his head. "Nakano-san puts up with him because they are pretty much the same. Insane."

Maiko laughed. "That about sums them up, alright."

Soon, they arrived in Kyoto. They got off the train, still holding hands, and made their way to the center of town where the theatre was.

Maiko began pointing out different things that Suguru had never really paid attention to before, such as a little candy shop, or an alley that led to a small park. As they continued walking, Suguru couldn't help but feel peaceful.

There was no Shuichi around to be overly dramatic, no Hiroshi to pick on him, no K to shoot him, and no Sakano to have hysterics. It was the first peaceful day he had had in a long time.

Glancing at Maiko, he noticed how the sun glinted in her shiny black hair and made her brown eyes sparkle. Before he knew what he was doing, he stopped. Since Maiko was holding his hand, she didn't get far before she noticed.

Before she could say anything, though, Suguru kissed her. It was a nice kiss, nothing major, just lips on lips, but when he pulled away, his entire face was scarlet. "I'm s-sorry!" he stammered.

Maiko blushed. Leaning back in, she kissed him again. It was a tentative kiss, but she deepened it, flicking her tongue against Suguru's lower lip, silently asking permission. His lips parted in a soft sigh, and Maiko hesitantly touched his tongue with hers.

Maiko pulled away after a second, finally realizing what she was doing. She was kissing the synth player of Bad Luck in the middle of the street in Kyoto. Her face was a bright shade of red, and matched Suguru's perfectly.

Silently, the two began walking again. They reached the theatre without further incident, but were disappointed to find that there wasn't a show that day.

Looking at each other, Maiko broke the silence. "What do you want to do now?"

Suguru began mentally going over the places that he knew in Kyoto, which weren't many. He never really had the chance to leave Tokyo to go to Kyoto. "There is a park not that far away. They have a lake you can row out in. We can do that and talk."

Maiko smiled. She had always wanted to do that, and now she was going to be able to. Nodding her agreement, the two started off for the park.

It didn't take long to get there, and before Maiko knew it, Suguru was paying for their boat. She looked out over the water. It was a beautiful day, and the lake was calm. She could see two other boats on the lake already. A light tug on her hand let her know that Suguru was waiting.

Following the synth player to the boats, Maiko boarded the one that they had rented. She had to let go of Suguru's hand so he could row, and she immediately missed the warmth that the contact with the young man gave her.

Suguru began to row them out to the middle of the lake, and Maiko watched Suguru row. She was a little surprised that Suguru could row them out by himself, but then, she supposed she really shouldn't. While Suguru was very thin, he also had some muscle. Maiko knew this because the last concert she attended for BAD LUCK had Suguru dressed almost as skimpily has her brother and Hiro.

Maiko began to loose herself in thoughts of Suguru's onstage costume. He had worn black leather pants, a green-netted top, and a black leather vest.

"Maiko-chan?"

The sound of Suguru's voice snapped Maiko out of her reverie. Focusing on her surroundings, she realized they sat in the middle of the lake, water all around them. She could make out the shore, and the trees beyond that. It was a beautiful sight, and she said so to Suguru.

Suguru nodded, pleased that Maiko thought so as well. He came here every time he was in Kyoto, and it was always nice, but with Maiko, it seemed even better…

Maiko bit her bottom lip, as if trying to figure out whether to say something or not. Instead of letting Maiko continue her internal debate, Suguru began talking.

"Maiko," he began. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier…"

The young woman looked confused before realizing that Suguru was talking about their kiss. Flushing, Maiko simply replied, "I kissed you, too, Fujisaki-kun, so there's no need to apologize."

Suguru remembered the kiss that Maiko gave him. He smiled slightly. "That's true," he responded. "But I still had no right to kiss you like that. It's our first date, after all…"

Maiko laughed softly. "Don't worry! We'll keep this between you and me, okay?" Suguru nodded, relief evident on his face. Maiko spared a moment to wonder if Shuichi had said anything to him to scare him. "Since this is your first date, was that your first kiss?"

Suguru shook his head. "No. My first kiss was on a dare at a party I went to last year."

Maiko began to play with her hair as she thought about what to say next. Suguru spared her the trouble by asking her what her favorite color was.

The questions continued on like that for the rest of the hour that they had the boat. Simple questions that didn't make either of them uncomfortable but were questions that were important nonetheless.

Suguru rowed them back to shore and they went in search of a place to eat. They finally found a small deli and decided to have lunch there.

Maiko ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, while Suguru ordered turkey and cheese. When their sandwiches were ready, they sat down and ate.

They ate in silence, but it was a comfortable silence that neither felt the need to break. They were happy just being in each other's company without the need to talk. They finished their lunch and decided to finish off the day shopping.

Suguru hated shopping. He had all the clothes he needed, and if he needed groceries or luxury items, he could always order them online. Maiko, though, felt differently.

She dragged him into store after store, looking at things and trying on clothes. She never bought anything, though, and when he asked why, she just merely replied, "I don't have the money."

Suguru knew that Shuichi gave money to his family, and gave his sister spending money out of every check. He didn't want to bring that up, though, because if her remembered correctly, Maiko was saving up to go to college so her parents didn't have to pay.

Instead, he made note of items that she particularly seemed to like and what store they were at.

When they found a bookstore, Suguru excused himself, saying that he wanted to get something from a store they had visited earlier. When Maiko offered to go with him, he told her it was okay.

Leaving her in the bookstore, he ran back to one of the stores that they had already visited. It was a little odds and ends store that seemed to sell everything. Maiko had been looking at something in this store, and had seemed very reluctant to part with it.

Smiling to himself, he brought the item to the register and paid. He would give it to Maiko when he dropped her off, that way she'd have to take it.

He looked at his watch and realized that they had thirty minutes before their train boarded. Making his way back to the bookstore, he found Maiko in the horror section.

"Maiko-chan, we have half an hour before the train boards. We should start making our way back."

Nodding in agreement, Maiko took Suguru's free hand in hers, and they started walking to the train station.

"What did you get, Fujisaki-kun?"

Suguru smiled at her. "Nothing really. Just a gift for someone special."

Maiko was intrigued. She knew Suguru wasn't dating. Besides the fact he'd told her that himself, she'd talked to K-san to see if he was seeing someone. Maybe it was for a family member? "Who?"

"I'll tell you later."

Maiko decided that if he told her he was going to tell her, he would. So she decided not to press him.

They got to the train station with five minutes to spare. They boarded the train, still hand in hand, and sat in their seats.

The train began to pull away from the station a few minutes later, and Maiko rested her head on Suguru's shoulder. She wasn't really tired, she just wanted to.

Suguru was surprised when Maiko rested her head on his shoulder. "Are you tired?" She shook her head against his shoulder, and Suguru was confused. If she wasn't tired, then why was her head on his shoulder? Deciding not to worry about it, he let go of her hand.

Maiko felt Suguru let go of her hand, and disappointment filled her. She was about to lift her head from his shoulder when his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head, and she smiled.

They stayed that way for the entire train ride back to Tokyo.  
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

They arrived at the Shindou residence at 6:45pm, fifteen minutes before Maiko had to be home.

Maiko sat on the step that led to the door, motioning for Suguru to do the same.

Still clutching the bag that held Maiko's gift in it, he sat next to her. A slight pressure on his shoulder told him Maiko was resting her head on his shoulder again. Smiling, he pulled her closer to him.

"I had fun today, Fujisaki-kun," Maiko whispered.

"So did I, Maiko-chan."

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed before either spoke again. Suguru lifted the bag onto his lap, and broke the silence.

"I told you I'd tell you who the present is for, didn't I?"

Maiko nodded, lifting her head from his shoulder to look at him. When he pulled out a box from within the bag, Maiko thought he was going to show her the gift and then tell her who it was to.

"It's for you." At Maiko's shocked expression, Suguru hurriedly continued. "I saw you looking at it in one of the stores, and I wanted to get something for you, so I got you this." He opened the box.

Inside was a porcelain doll. The doll was a young child in a nightgown. She was wearing pink fuzzy slippers and holding a toy cat in one hand. The other hand rubbed her eyes sleepily and the blonde hair was in curls.

Maiko stared at the doll in shock. Feeling her eyes begin to fill with tears, Maiko quickly blinked them away. "You didn't have to get me this," she said softly.

A hand guided her face away from the doll so that she was staring at Suguru. Leaning in, he kissed her gently. "I wanted to," he whispered.

Placing the box containing the porcelain doll to the side very gently, she hugged Suguru. "Thank you!" she squealed with a smile.

Suguru was very happy that he had made her happy. He hugged her tighter to him and they sat like that, wrapped in each other's arms, until 7pm.

Slowly disentangling themselves from each other, Maiko picked up her present, and Suguru walked her to the door.

"Thank you for a wonderful day," Maiko said.

"You're welcome. Maybe we can do it again?" he added hopefully.

Maiko smiled. "Of course."

Suguru breathed a sigh of relief. "How's tomorrow? We can go see a movie?"

"Perfect. I'll be ready at 2pm, if that's okay with you?"

"That's fine."

Maiko opened the door and stepped inside. Before closing the door, she turned and smiled again at Suguru. "See you tomorrow, Fujisaki-kun!"

Suguru smiled in return. "See you tomorrow, Maiko-chan."

The door closed, and Suguru made his way back home, completely relaxed and happy. He had another date with Maiko, she had liked his gift, and they had had fun. His day couldn't have been anymore perfect.

Letting himself into his apartment, Suguru checked his messages. He had one.

"You have 1 new message. First new message," the machine intoned. There was a pause, then a familiar voice came over the machine. "Hi Fujisaki! It's Shuichi! I was just calling to see how your date went with my sister and to tell you that if I find out you so much as laid one finger on my pure sweet innocent little sister, I will hurt you very badly! But I know you wouldn't do that, so it's kind of pointless to mention it! Anyway, if you don't call me tomorrow, I'll get all of the details from Maiko! Bye!" Another pause. "You have no more messages."

All of the blood drained from Suguru's face as the message ended. _Would Maiko-chan tell Shindou-san that we kissed?_ he thought frantically. _No, she wouldn't. At least, I hope she won't… _

Suguru collapsed on his couch. Monday was going to be a long day…  
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AN: That's it! No more for this story! I hope you all liked it… Poor Fujisaki… But he had such a great day, I had to torture him. Just a little… LOL Anyways, review please!


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